St. Leonard's Church, Zoutleeuw
Encyclopedia
The Saint Leonard's Church (Dutch: Sint-Leonarduskerk) in Zoutleeuw
, Belgium
, stands on the former site of a Romanesque
chapel erected in 1125 by Benedictine
s from the Abbey of Vlierbeek near Leuven
. Construction of the present church began around 1231, and additions continued into the 16th century. Rendered mainly in the Gothic
style, the building in its oldest parts shows traces of the Romanesque.
The two heavy square towers flanking the west facade are connected with each other by means of a gallery over the nave
. The slender central tower, octagonal in cross-section, contains a carillon
with 24 bells. Since 1999, this church with its towers has been part of a UNESCO
World Heritage Site
(see Belfries of Belgium and France
).
Few if any other medieval churches in Belgium remain in such an excellent state of preservation as St. Leonard's, which stayed clear of the widespread iconoclasm
during the Protestant Reformation
. It also survived the French Revolution
intact, because three canon
s took an oath of allegiance to the French regime. The interior thus offers an authentic glimpse of how the churches of Brabant
were furnished centuries ago.
Zoutleeuw
Zoutleeuw is a municipality and city in the Hageland, in the extreme east of the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. On 1 January 2006 the municipality had 7,947 inhabitants...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, stands on the former site of a Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
chapel erected in 1125 by Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
s from the Abbey of Vlierbeek near Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
. Construction of the present church began around 1231, and additions continued into the 16th century. Rendered mainly in the Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
style, the building in its oldest parts shows traces of the Romanesque.
The two heavy square towers flanking the west facade are connected with each other by means of a gallery over the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
. The slender central tower, octagonal in cross-section, contains a carillon
Carillon
A carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in a free-standing bell tower, or the belfry of a church or other municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to play a melody, or sounded together to play a chord...
with 24 bells. Since 1999, this church with its towers has been part of a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
(see Belfries of Belgium and France
Belfries of Belgium and France
The Belfries of Belgium and France is a group of 56 historical buildings designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Site, in recognition of an architectural manifestation of emerging civic independence in historic Flanders and neighbouring regions from feudal and religious influences, leading to a...
).
Few if any other medieval churches in Belgium remain in such an excellent state of preservation as St. Leonard's, which stayed clear of the widespread iconoclasm
Iconoclasm
Iconoclasm is the deliberate destruction of religious icons and other symbols or monuments, usually with religious or political motives. It is a frequent component of major political or religious changes...
during the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
. It also survived the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
intact, because three canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
s took an oath of allegiance to the French regime. The interior thus offers an authentic glimpse of how the churches of Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
were furnished centuries ago.
Art relics
- a tabernacleChurch tabernacleA tabernacle is the fixed, locked box in which, in some Christian churches, the Eucharist is "reserved" . A less obvious container, set into the wall, is called an aumbry....
in the form of a 18-meter-high, nine-level tower, built in 1552 by Cornelis Floris de VriendtCornelis Floris de VriendtCornelis Floris de Vriendt was a Flemish Renaissance architect and sculptor. He played an important role in the building of the Antwerp City Hall. His brother was Frans Floris, for whom he designed a house in Antwerp.-External links:...
. This tower of white Avesnes stone was shipped to the church in components, from de Vriendt's workshop in Antwerp. - the Marianum, a painted double-sided sculpture of the Virgin Mary, from the 16th century.
- a Virgin Mary iconIconAn icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
from 1250. - a six-meter-high brass candelabraCandelabra"Candelabra" is the traditional term for a set of multiple decorative candlesticks, each of which often holds a candle on each of multiple arms or branches connected to a column or pedestal...
from 1483. - icons of Saint Leonard of Noblac (the church's eponymous patron saint) from 1300 and 1505.
- the St. Leonard retableRetableA retable is a framed altarpiece, raised slightly above the back of the altar or communion table, on which are placed the cross, ceremonial candlesticks and other ornaments....
from 1478. - a wooden pietàPietàThe Pietà is a subject in Christian art depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus, most often found in sculpture. As such, it is a particular form of the Lamentation of Christ, a scene from the Passion of Christ found in cycles of the Life of Christ...
from the 15th century. - a Romanesque crucifixCrucifixA crucifix is an independent image of Jesus on the cross with a representation of Jesus' body, referred to in English as the corpus , as distinct from a cross with no body....
from the 11th century. - a brass lectern with eagle sculpture.
- a Renaissance retable of Saint AnneSaint AnneSaint Hanna of David's house and line, was the mother of the Virgin Mary and grandmother of Jesus Christ according to Christian and Islamic tradition. English Anne is derived from Greek rendering of her Hebrew name Hannah...
, from the 16th century.